PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING FUR-LIKE PILE CLOTH AND DEVICE THEREFOR

Abstract

 An improved process for manufacturing fur-like pile cloth from a material pile cloth such as double velvet fabric (4) comprising two ground weaves (4a, 4b) and a plurality of binding piles (70) binding the two ground weaves or a double pile knitting (4), or from a material pile cloth having a plurality of loop piles (7c) projecting from fabric ground weave, knitting ground weave or non-woven ground weave (5), which process comprises destroying continuity of the pile yarns (7o, 7c) of material pile cloth by removing pile yarn-forming fiber without destroying at least a certain number of fibrous materials (2a) which will function as pin-yarns In the resulting fur-like pile cloth; and a continuity- destroying member (10) for use in practicing the process having a novel structure for destroying continuity of pile yarns (70, 7c) of the material pile cloth.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for manufacturing artificial furs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTS

[0002] The so-called high grade genuine furs, such as mink, fox, etc., have been recognized as genuine furs of high grade which are almost impossible to artificially produce, because of their excellent touch-feeling, excellent luster and a special structural feature, mainly due to the hairs.

[0003] Accordingly, such genuine furs still maintain their excellent position in the fur trade as so-called high grade furs, because such genuine furs are recognized as furs which serve as a status symbol and which can be used as an extremely high class raw material for making garments of high fashion. Therefore, many technical proposal have been put forth and research conducted for the purpose of creating artificial furs having excellent qualities similar to those of the above-mentioned high grade genuine furs..

[0004] Some new technologies such as U.S.P. No. 2,737,702 have been disclosed as being comparatively advanced in the field of producing artificial fur. In the technology disclosed by U.S.P. No. 2,737,702, the method is proposed of producing an artificial fur by means of a knitting machine from a sliver composed of staple fibers of a first group, which form a layer of so-called guard hair of the fur, and staple fibers of a second group, which form a layer of under fur of the artificial fur. In this method, the use of a particular kind of fibers is proposed for the first group of fibers, wherein each fiber is provided with two tapered end portions. It can be recognized that the quality of this artificial fur is similar to genuine fur in such shape that a free end of each of the guard hairs is tapered. Since the free end portions of the guard hairs in the genuine fur are generally tapered, we must recognize the great contribution of the technology in the field of producing the artificial furs, which is created by the above--mentioned U.S. Patent, keeping in mind the above-mentioned point of view. However, in the artificial fur disclosed by the above-mentioned U.S. Patent, a problem still remains which must be solved in order to create a good quality of artificial fur. This problem is mainly due to the characteristic feature of the pile fibers which do not satisfy the qualities required in the combination of the guard hairs with under furs. That is, it is the understanding of the inventors that the quality of flutter of the guard hair is insufficient as compared with that of genuine fur. In addition to the above-mentioned inferiority of this feature of artificial fur the touch feeling of this artificial fur is coarse; particularly, the touch feeling of the guard hair is rather coarse, so that the fur-like soft and elegant touch-feeling is not realized from this artificial fur. In the research conducted by the inventors, it was found that the above-mentioned problems are mainly due to the structural feature of the guard hairs; that is, in more detail, the root portion of the guard fibers, which is locked in the ground construction of the artificial fur, is not thin.

[0005] According to the research works conducted by the inventor, a very unique artificial fur provided with excellent touch feeling, excellent luster and a special structural features, mainly due to the guard hairs, like the genuine furs, and the method for manufacturing the above-mentioned artificial furs were created and the contents of such new creation were disclosed in the pending U.S. Patent application filed on September 10, 1981. This artificial fur has the following characteristic features regarding the construction thereof. That is, this artificial fur comprises a ground construction and numerous units of pile fibers projected upward from the ground construction, and each unit of pile fibers is provided with a yarn-like bundle of root portion, at least a main part of the above--mentioned root portion is firmly locked in the ground construction and the fibers of each pile were opened up above the root portion, the pile fibers are made from fibrous materials and provided with varied lengths thereof in a range from almost zero to almost identical to the maximum length of the fibrous materials.

[0006] To produce the above-mentioned unique artificial fur the following method were created and disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. Patent application. This method comprises the following three steps, that is, a first step of creating a construction of pile cloth consisting of a ground construction and a plurality of yarn-like piles projected upward from the ground construction;

a second step of raising the above-mentioned pile cloth to remove those fibers not firmly held in the ground construction, while opening those fibers firmly held by the ground construction,

a third step of finishing the product of the above-mentioned second step.

[0007] However, the inventor's pilot test.showed that the artificial fur produced by the method of this U.S. Patent application has a serious problem regarding guard hairs, and the quantity of waste fibrous material made during the second step of the above-mentioned method was a significant factor in manufacturing costs. Further, the manufacture of the pile cloth, was often accompanied by cutting the fibrous material of the guard hair contained in the pile. Therefore, it is preferable to produce material pile cloth with piles having the pile length not shorter than the maximum length of fibrous material forming the guard hairs. Therefore, the greater the pile length of the material pile cloth is, the greater number of free fibrous material which are not firmly held by the ground construction; in other words, the greater the quantity of waste fibrous.material created in the second step (raising operation) of the manufacturing method of the above-mentioned U.S.P. application. Such an increase in waste fibrous material by the removal of free fibrous materials cannot be neglected in practice.

[0008] In this. specification, the term "pile cloth" means a pile fabric provided with a woven or knitted ground construction with or without a backing substance and a plurality of pile fibers projected upward from the ground construction, a pile cloth provided with a non-woven ground construction with or without a backing substance and a plurality of pile fibers projected upward from the ground construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for manufacturing the artificial fur having characteristics similar to high c-ade genuine furs, such as structure, appearance, and touch-feeling thereof.

[0010] The above-mentioned principal object of the present invention can be attained by the following basic idea for creating pile fibers projected upward from the ground construction; that is, in the manufacture of the pile cloth for the artificial fur from a material pile cloth such as so-called double velvet weave construction, or such as a tufted pile cloth utilizing a non-woven cloth as the ground construction thereof, the continuity of each pile of the material cloth is broken without breaking or cutting, at least some of the fibrous material, forming the guard hairs involved in the artificial fur, and contained in the pile.

[0011] It is essential that breaking of continuity of each pile be carried out so as to satisfy the above-mentioned condition. Therefore, it may be understood that, the method for manufacturing the artificial fur according to the present invention is characterized by the application of the processing based upon the above-mentioned basic idea.

[0012] The apparatus to carry out the method according to the present invention, embodies specific ideas for the member for breaking the continuity of each pile projected from the ground construction of the material pile cloth.

[0013] other apparatus for manufacturing material pile cloth having a double velvet construction which is a modification of the apparatus shown in Fig. 7A.

[0014] Fig. 8A is a schematic perspective view of a separating member utilized for the apparatus shown in Fig. 7A,

[0015] Figs. 8B and 8C are schematic perspective views of modifications of the separating member shown in Fig. 8A,

[0016] Fig. 9 is a schematic side view of a material pile cloth having a double velvet weave construction with a separating member to act on about the middle of the connecting piles which connects two ground constructions thereof, according to the present invention,

[0017] Fig. 10 is a schematic side view of a pile cloth produced from the material pile cloth shown in Fig. 9,

[0018] Fig. 11A is a schematic side view of a material pile cloth provided with a plurality of loop piles with a separating member to act on about the middle of a loop pile thereof,

[0019] Fig. 11B is a schematic side view of a pile cloth after breaking the continuity of the loop pile shown in Fig. 11A,

[0020] _Fig. 12A is a schematic side view of a typical artificial fur produced by the method and apparatus according to the present invention,

[0021] Fig. 12B is a schematic side view of a modified artificial fur produced by the method and apparatus according to the present invention,

[0022] Figs. 13A and 13B are schematic side views of a fibrous material forming the guard hairs of the artificial fur produced by the method and apparatus according to the present invention, respectively,

[0023] Fig. 14 is a schematic side view of another modified artificial fur produced by a modified method and apparatus according to the present invention,

[0024] Fig. 15 is a diagram indicating the relation between the blending ratio of the staple fiber (first group) in the pile (in weight %) and fineness in denier of the thickest

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] 

_Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of an ideal model of a bundle of fibers wherein fibers are arranged uniformly,

Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the bundle of fibers shown in Fig. 1 in the condition of separating into two portions along the lengthwise direction thereof,

Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of a material pile yarn for making a material pile cloth indicating a theoretical fiber arrangement therein,

Fig. 4A is a schematic cross sectional view of a double velvet weave construction utilizing the material yarn shown in Fig. 3,

Fig. 4B is a schematic cross sectional view of the double velvet weave construction shown in Fig. 4A, in the preferable condition of breaking the continuity of piles which connect the two ground constructions,

Fig. 5 is a schematic cross sectional view of a material pile cloth wherein a plurality of looped piles projected upward from a ground construction, which is a modification drawing,

Fig. 6A is a schematic side view of a material yarn consisting of three fibrous materials wherein the third spirally surrounds the core portion consisting of the other two, for producing a material pile cloth,

Fig. 6B is a schematic side view of the material pile yarn shown in Fig. 6A which indicates the breaking of the continuity of the third fibrous material during the process for manufacturing artificial fur according to the present invention,

Fig. 7A is a schematic side view of a part of the apparatus for manufacturing material pile cloth having a double velvet weave construction, _i

Fig. 7B is an enlarged side view of a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 7A,

Fig. 7C is a schematic elevation.of a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 7A,

Fig. 7D is a schematic side view of a part of the portion of the staple fiber (first group) regarding a preferable embodiment to produce artificial fur according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] For the sake of better understanding the present invention, the principle of the present invention is firstly explained in detail, in reference to the drawings.

[0027] As mentioned in "Summary of the Invention", the method for manufacturing artificial fur according to the present invention is characterized by the basic idea of breaking the continuity of each pile contained in the material pile cloth such as a fabric having a double velvet weave construction or a tufted pile cloth utilizing a woven or non-woven cloth.

[0028] In the present invention, the following principles for carrying out the process of breaking the continuity of each pile contained in the material cloth is introduced in reference to the following basic idea which is hereinafter explained in detail.

[0029] Fig. 1 indicates a typical model of the fiber arrangement of a theoretical bundle 1 of fibers 2, compacted in a yarn form by a means not shown, fibers 2 are uniformly arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bundle of fibers, and this bundle 1 is held by a pair of grips (not shown) at the XX and YY positions so that the distance between the two gripped positions XX and YY is larger than the staple length of the component fibers 2. The bundle 1 is pulled apart by the grips along the longitudinal direction, therefore tension F along the longitudinal direction of the bundle 1 is created. Under such condition, as shown in Fig. 2 three groups of fiber 2 are created, that is, a first group g , wherein fibers 2 are held by the grip represented by the line XX, the second group ^g₂ wherein fibers 2 are held by the grip represented by the line _YY, and the third group g₃ wherein fiber 2 are free from anyone of the above-mentioned grips. In other words, the above--mentioned application of tension F to the bundle 1 of fibers 2, as shown in Fig. 2, breaks the continuity of the bundle 1.

[0030] As described in the above-mentioned U.S. patent application, it is known that the semiproduct pile cloth, for an artificial fur, can be made from a material pile cloth such as a pile fabric having a construction of double velvet weave or a pile cloth provided with a plurality of looped piles projected upward from a non-woven ground construction.

[0031] When using the material pile cloth having a construction of double velvet weave, each of the plurality of piles (hereinafter referred to as "connecting pile") connecting two ground constructions must be separated into two parts such that one is held by one ground construction while the other is held by the other ground construction thereby creating two pile cloth; Now, it is assumed that the material yarn for the piles is composed of a plurality of fibers uniformly arranged in parallel to the longitudinal axis of a material bundle before providing twist. To simplify the following explanation, the existance of twist is excluded from the present explanation. The yarn 3 is represented as the bundle of the component fibers 2 in Fig._'3. In this drawing, each fiber 2 has an identical length ℓ₁. If such material yarn 3 is used for the piles 3a of a material pile cloth having double-velvet-weave construction provided with two ground constructions 4a, 4b, as shown in Fig. 4A, and the distance ℓ₀ between the inside surfaces of the two ground constructions 4a, 4b is larger than the length ℓ₁ of the fiber 2, the application of tension F to the pile 3a as in Fig. 1, the similar phenomenon as in the example shown in Fig. 2 is created. That is, as shown in Fig. 4B, it will separate the first group g_l of fibers 2 held-by the ground construction 4a from the second group g₂ of fibers 2 held by the ground construction 4b and will free the third group ^g₃ from those ground construction 4a and 4b. When using material pile cloth such as a material pile cloth provided with a plurality of looped piles projected upward from a woven, knitted or non-woven ground construction, each looped pile must be separating into two parts such that both held by the ground construction. And, as the material pile cloth, the length Q₂ of the looped pile 3b projected upward from the ground construction 5 is preferred to be longer than the fiber length ℓ₁ of the material fiber 2, as shown in Fig. 5. And the application of tension to pull apart the looped pile 3b made by the yarn 3 will creat, the similar phenomenon as in the examples of Figs. 2 and 4B. That is, it will separate the first group g₁ of the fibers 2 held by the ground construction 5 from the second group g₂ of the fibers 2 held by the ground construction 5 and will free the third group g₃ of fibers 2 not held by the ground construction cloth 5.

[0032] The above-mentioned phenomenon of separating the continuity of the pile 3a and 3b is hereinafter referred to as "sliding separation". The application of the sliding separation of the component fibers of the piles, particularly the fibers forming the guard hair of the artificial fur, is one of the most important factors in the method for manufacturing the artificial fur according to the present invention. Application of the above-mentioned basic technical idea of "sliding separation" to break the continuity of each pile of the material pile cloth significantly reduces, the possibility of cutting the tips of the fibers forming the guard hairs or possibility of creating large amount of fibers like the third group so that it allows considerable improve in the quality of the final product, artificial fur. It is one of the most significant results of the application of the present invention.

[0033] There are three kinds of material yarn for forming piles or looped piles of the material pile cloth. The first material yarn is a spun yarn with very low twist. This yarn consists of a first group of fibrous material to form guard hairs and a second group of fibrous material to form under fur of the artificial fur produced by the method and apparatus according to the present invention. To create a material yarn having as similar a fiber arrangement to the theoretical bundle of fibers shown in Fig. 1 as possible, it is preferable to reduce the number of twists imparted to the yarn. Reduction of twist number below a certain limit, however the yarn so weakens that the operation of producing the material pile cloth becomes practically impossible. To overcome this, one can use a third group of fibers a having a staple length longer than a certain length, such as that of the first group of fibers, by blending it with the other two groups of fibers so as to create a modified material yarn for the piles. In this case, before applying the sliding separation process, it is necessary to remove this third group fibers. For the third group of fibers, therefore, one can use a fiber soluble in a certain chemical agent. The above-mentioned two material yarns are hereinafter referred to as first material spun yarns.

[0034] The second material yarn is a double yarn formed by a first component yarn and a second component yarn. The first component yarn is composed of a first group of fibrous material to form the guard hairs and a second group of fibers to form fibers forming the under fur of the artificial fur produced by the method and apparatus according to the present invention. In this first component yarn, the above-mentioned two fibrous materials are blended uniformly and arranged in parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof. To impart yarn strength, this first component yarn is twisted. The second component yarn is made of a third fibrous material, in other words, the second component yarn may be a thin multifilament yarn or a thin spun yarn made from fibers easily removable by chemical or'physical treatment or from a normal material. In this case, it is very important to substantially elliminate the twist of the first component yarn when these two component yarns are twisted.

[0035] As was disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S.P. application, a multi-filament yarn consisting of a plurality of individual filaments, each having a so-called island-in-sea fiber construction can be used to form the first group of fibrous material to form the guard hairs of the artificial fur produced by the method and apparatus according to the present invention. In this case, this multifilament yarn is twisted with another multifilament yarn to create a second group of fibrous material to form the under fur of the above-mentioned artificial fur. It is preferable to use this material yarn constructed with the second component yarn surrounding the first component yarn. In this case, it is preferable to remove the sea component of this island--in-sea fiber by a known chemical treatment before the above-mentioned sliding separation of the piles. This type of material yarn is hereinafter referred to as a third material yarn.

[0036] As already explained, the basic idea is to utilize the phenomenon of sliding separation to break the continuity of the piles of the material pile cloth in the present invention. Therefore, in every case utilizing the above-mentioned material yarns to form pile in the material pile cloth, it is essential to firstly change the condition of material yarn to the ideal construction shown in Fig. 3 as much as possible. This enables to smooth and effective sliding separation to break the continuity of the piles.

[0037] For the sake of better understanding, this technical idea is explained in more detail with reference to the embodiment shown in Figs. 6A and 6B, which is an example utilizing the second material yarn. That is, each pile 2 in the material pile cloth is'formed by a bundle of fibers consisting of a first group of fibrous material 2a and a second group of fibrous material 2b, and a third fibrous material 6 spirally surrounding the above-mentioned bundle of fibrous materials as shown in Fig. 6A. The first group of fibrous material 2a is longer and thicker than the second group of fibrous material 2b so that the first one 2a will form the guard hairs and the second one 2b will form the under-fur of the final artificial fur. These two groups fibrous materials 2a, 2b are uniformly mixed in the yarn 7 and are arranged in parallel along the yarn axis. The material pile cloth is provided with a so-called double--velvet weave construction and the above-mentioned yarn 7 connects the two ground constructions when the double-velvet fabric is made. Therefore, the application of the above--mentioned sliding separation necessitates first cutting the third fibrous material 6 before creating the above--mentioned sliding separation. Research conducted by the present inventors showed that the third fibrous material 6 can be easily cut by applying tension to each connecting pile of the double velvet fabric. One method to cut the third fibrous material 6 is to apply a pushing force to the middle of each connecting pile made by the yarn 7 in the condition perpendicular to this portion. Another method is to apply a force to pull apart the two ground constructions. _Fig. 6B shows the cutting of the third fibrous material 6.

[0038] If the third fibrous material 6 can be dissolved by a certain chemical agent including water, such chemical treatment can be applied before sliding separation.

[0039] Experiments by the present inventors confirmed that the third fibrous material can be effectively cut by vibrating action or a pushing action of a member without knife edge, instead of the cutting knife normally used for creating pile fabric from the double velvet woven or knitted fabric.

[0040] In the case of producing the intermediate pile cloth to produce the artificial fur by utilizing the material pile cloth provided with numerous looped piles, the above--mentioned method of applying pushing force to each piles or the above-mentioned method of dissolving the-third fibrous material can be effectively applied.

[0041] According to our research work, it was confirmed that, if the third fibrous material 6 is firstly cut by using a sharp knife, in spite of some possibility of cutting some fibrous material contained in the piles, such utilization of the sharp knife is very useful in creating sliding separation in practice.

[0042] This modified technical idea is very useful when using the above-mentioned second material yarn. That is, since the yarn is provided with twists even if the number of twists is very low, the component fibers of the yarn are mutually interfered, therefore it is practical firstly cutting a part of each pile of the material pile cloth, because when this part is cut, the tension applied to the pile becomes to concentrate to the remained fibers in this portion and the above-mentioned mutual interference is simultaneously broken so that the above sliding separation is created more effectively. When using a first group of fibrous material much longer and thicker than the second group of fibrous material and having tapered thin free ends, the experiments by the present inventors confirmed that the above-mentioned sliding separation is carried out very smoothly and effectively in the condition of reducing the possibility of cutting this first group of fibrous material, even when using a separating member having a sharp knife edge, to provide the pushing force or combination pushing force and shearing force to the piles. In our experimental test, when the piles projected upward from the ground construction were carefully observed, it was found that the tapered tips of the guard hairs of the artificial fur were not seriously damaged by the above--mentioned sliding separation, even when using separating member having a sharp knife edge. It is the present inventors' understanding that the principal reason why the tapered tips of the first.group of fibrous material was not substantially damaged was mainly depend upon the shape of this fibrous material, which create the flexibility and therefore escape from the action of the sharp edge of the separating member during the above-mentioned sliding separation. In any case, however, as each connecting pile connecting the two ground construction of the material pile cloth or each looped pile projected upward from a ground construction is firstly cut partly by a separating member provided with a sharp knife edge, there is a possibility of cutting the first and second groups of fibrous material. Therefore, when the method of present invention is applied, it is important to control the above-mentioned cutting of a part of the yarn so as to cut the first group of material fibers as less as possible. This control can be achieved by using a specific separating member provided with a partly sharp knife edge.

[0043] Next, the improved method for manufacturing artificial fur according to the present invention is explained in more detail with reference to drawings indicating the preferred embodiments.

[0044] The embodiment using material pile cloth having the so-called double velvet weave construction is firstly explained, hereinafter.

[0045] Fig. 7A shows a schematic side view of double cloth plush weaving, wherein S and SS represent two shuttles respectively and R represents a reed of the weaving loom. After the double velvet fabric is created, the continuity of each connecting pile made by the yarn 3, connecting two ground construction weaves 3a, 3b, is broken by applying a pushing force of a separating member 10 at an intermediate stopping stage just before the displacement of the connecting piles. As shown in Figs. 7A and 7B the separating member 10 is positioned at the point of separation of the front end of the double velvet fabric 4 into two pile weave constructions 4a, 4b so as to separate the connecting piles into two parts 3a and 3b. One of the typical embodiments of the separating member 10 is shown in Fig. 8A. As shown in Fig. 8A the separating member 10 is provided with a knife portion 11 with a working edge lla and a sharpened tip portion llb. In this embodiment, the working edge lla is not so sharp. This separating member 10 is capable of reciprocally displacement along the left yarn of the double velvet fabric 4, in such condition that the separating member 10 is displaced into the double velvet fabric 4. The double velvet fabric is displaced toward the member 10 as the woven fabric produced by the weaving loom is taken up. The working edge lla faces an alignment of the connecting piles located at the front end of the double velvet fabric 4. The pushing force of the member 10 is mainly applied to the alignment of the connecting piles located at the front end of the double velvet fabric 4. Therefore this pushing force creates tension in each connecting piles located at the front end of the double velvet fabric 4. The shape and displacement speed of the separating member 10 is determined so as to create the tension which is sufficiently strong to break the continuity of each connecting pile under the above-mentioned principle. Therefore, when the separating member 10 is displaced into the space in front of the front end of the double velvet fabric 4, each connecting pile made by the yarn 3 at the front end of the double velvet fabric 4 is divided into two portions 3a and 3b as shown in Figs. 7A and 7B. In the above-mentioned process, when the material yarn has a construction like the yarn shown in Fig. 6A, the above-mentioned pushing force first breaks the third fibrous material spirally surrounding the core portion of the yarn and then separates the fibers forming the core portion of each pile into two groups 3a and 3b as shown in Figs. 7A and 7B, wherein the fiber group 3a is firmly held by the ground construction 4a while the fiber group 3b is firmly held by the ground construction 4b. Fibers not to be held either ground construction 4a or 4b are held by one of the above-mentioned groups of fibers 3a,.3b in an easily separable condition or are removed from the working position of the separating member 10.

[0046] Experiments by the present inventors confirmed that, the larger the distance between the inside surfaces of the two ground constructions 4a, 4b of material pile cloth 4 having a double velvet weave construction, the greater the quantity of wasted fibrous material arising from the above--mentioned free fibers, i.e., those not to firmly held by either ground constructions 4a or 4b. In other words, the amount of wasted fibrous material can be effectively reduced by choosing a distance is not shorter than the length of the first group of fibrous material forming the guard hairs of the artificial fur.

[0047] In the above-mentioned embodiment the separating member 10 applies its pushing force from the outside of the double velvet fabric 4,.experiments by the present inventors, however, showed similar results if the separating member 10 applies its pushing force to the connecting piles from inside of the double velvet fabric 4 as shown in Fig. 7D.

[0048] According to our experimental tests, it was confirmed that the taper angle 0 of the working portion of the separating member 10 is preferably in a range between 5° and 45° and that the length of the tapered working edge lla is preferably in a range between 5 mm and 200 mm.

[0049] In the research conducted by the present applicant, it was confirmed that if the two pile cloths having the ground constructions 4a and 4b respectively are pulled apart, the additional tension is applied to the connecting piles made by the yarn 3 at the front end of the double velvet fabric 4 beside the tension created by the action of the separating member 10, thereby more effective breaking the continuity of the above-mentioned connecting piles is created.

[0050] If the above-mentioned third fibrous material spirally surrounding the core portion of the yarn 3 is weak enough to break with the additional tension created by pulling apart the two ground constructions 4a and 4b, one can omit the use of the above-mentioned separating member. If the above-mentioned third fibrous material is soluble in a certain chemical agent, one can treat the material pile cloth with this chemical agent, and omit the use of the separating member 10; pulling apart the two ground constructions 4a and 4b would be sufficient to create two pile fabrics.

[0051] As mentioned already, one can use the material yarn, having a configuration similar to the conventional spun yarn, if the length, thickness and the other characteristics of the first group of fibrous material, forcing the guard hairs of the artificial fur, are quite different from those of the second group of fiber material, forming the under fur of the artificial fur. However, it is preferable to apply the modified method wherein a combination of the pushing force and the shearing force is utilized so as to practically carry out the process for manufacturing the artificial fur according to the present invention. In such cases, as mentioned already, it is also preferable to first cut part of each piles which connects the two ground constructions 4a and 4b of the material pile cloth, which is the double velvet fabric, then the remaining portion of each connecting pile is separated by a pushing force of the separating member 10 as in the first embodiment. Experiments by the present inventors showed one can effectively use the separating member 10 having a similar shape to the member 10 shown in Fig. 8b, wherein a sharp knife edge llc is formed at the free end. When using this separating member 10, the sharp knife edge portion llc works to cut part of the outside of each connecting pile, while the remaining edge works to create sliding separation of each piles by the pushing force of the remaining edge of the member 10.

[0052] _Fig. 8c shows another separating member 10 which can be used to produce artificial fur, according to the present invention. The separating member 10 allows at least some of the first group of fibrous material to escape from cutting but cuts all of the second group of fibrous material during the breaking of the continuity of the connecting pile made by the yarn 3. As shown in Fig. 8c, this separating member 10 is provided with a sharp knife edge lld. For example, if such material yarn, composed of'a spun yarn formed by the first group of fibrous material and a multi- filament yarn which will be cut to fibers of the under fur of the artificial fur, which were twisted each other in the condition of substantially eliminating the twist of the spun yarn, is used to form the piles of the material pile cloth of double velvet weave construction, and the thickness of the first group of fibrous material is remarkably thicker than the thickness of the individual filament of the multi- filament yarn, and the mechanical properties of the former are much better than the latter, there is strong possibility that the latter one (multifilament yarn) is cut by the sharp knife edge lld of the member 10 while most of fibers of the former are capable of escaping from the cutting action of the knife edge lld of the member 10, that is, the sliding separation of the first group of fibrous material is created when pushing and shearing forces of the separating member 10 are applied to the connecting piles at the front end of the double velvet fabric 4 which is the material pile cloth.

[0053] A slightly different explanation is provided on the phenomenon of the sliding separation defined in the preceding paragraphs in reference with Fig. 9 indicating the condition right before breaking the connecting pile made by the yarn 3 which connects the two ground constructions 4a and 4b of material pile cloth 4 having a double velvet weave construction. The figure schematically shows that the pile consists of a first group of fibrous material 2a to form the guard hairs and a second group of fibrous material 2b to form the under fur of the artificial fur. The third fibrous material spirally surrounding the core portion of the yarn 3 is omitted. As shown in Fig. 9, the separating member 10 works in the same way as in Figs. 7A and 7B. That is, the member 10 applies a pushing force _P to the middle of the connecting pile made by the yarn 3 at the outside end of the material pile cloth 4. As already explained, this force P creates tension in this connecting piles. If the fiber length of the first group fibrous material (this length hereinafter referred to as f ) is shorter than the length Z 0 of this connecting portion between the two ground constructions 4a and 4b, no one fiber 2a of the first group will be held by both the ground constructions 4a and 4b. Since the length of the second group fibrous material (this length hereinafter referred to as f ) is shorter than f₁, no one fiber 2b of the second group will be held by both the ground constructions 4a and 4b. However, since the lengths f and f₂ of the first and second fibrous materials 2a, 2b are shorter than the length ℓ₀ of this pile some of fibers 2a, 2b may not be held by either ground construction 4a or 4b. These free fibers become the wasted fibrous material mentioned already. The material pile cloth 4 is then separated into two pile cloths formed on the ground constructions 4a and 4b respectively and the above-mentioned free fibers are removed. Each pile cloth is therefore provided with a plural units of pile fibers having'such configuration that, in each unit, a plural pile fibers are gathered at their root portion and separated each other at their upper portions, and each unit is consisting of a plural fibers 2a of the first group and a plural fiber 2b of the second group as shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 11A, shows a material pile cloth with a plurality of loop piles 3C projected from a ground construction 4C, such as non-woven cloth. Application of pushing force P to the middle of each loop pile 3C by the separating member 10 results in the same phenomenon as the embodiment shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The working position of the pushing force P to the pile may be changed. However, it was confirmed that the above-mentioned application of the pushing force to the middle of the pile is the most effective way of carrying out the method of the present invention.

[0054] In the above-mentioned U.S. Patent application the preferable construction of the artificial fur was explained. From this explanation, it is easy to understand that the ground construction of the artificial fur must be well covered by under fur and the under fur must be well protected by the guard hairs. In addition, the ground construction must have qualities such as stiffness, touch--feeling and weight similar to those of the skin of genuine fur. It is also necessary to consider the color of the raw material for the pile fibers and the ground construction of the artificial fur. Consequently, one must take great care in designing the artificial fur to choose the optimal raw material for the pile fibers and the ground construction, the optimal construction of the material pile yarn and material pile cloth, and the optimal method of inducing sliding separation to break the continuity of piles.

[0055] The preferred fibrous materials, the material yarns, and material pile cloths, for producing the artificial fur by the method and apparatus according to the present invention are hereinafter explained in detail.

[0056] For the sake of better understanding, the typical construction of the artificial for produced by the method and apparatus according to the present invention is hereinafter explained before explaining the result obtained by the experimental tests done by the inventors.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 12A, the typical artificial fur produced by the method and apparatus according to the present invention comprises a ground construction 4a (4b, 4c) and a plurality of units of pile fibers projected upward from this ground construction. Each unit of pile fibers 2a', 2b' is provided with a yarn-like bundle of its root portion, at least a main part of this root portion is firmly locked in this ground construction. The pile fibers 2a', 2b' of each unit are separated from each other from above its root portion. The pile fibers 2a', 2b' are made from fibrous materials and are provided with varied lengths ranging from almost zero to almost to the maximum length of the fibrous materials. In this artificial fur, the above-mentioned pile fibers are partly comprise relatively short and fine fibers 2b' (second group of fibers), which constitute the under fur, and partly comprise re- latively large diameter straight fibers 2a' (first group of fibers) projecting from the above-mentioned under fur as guard hairs. The guard hairs are substantially tapered at the free tips.

[0058] Therefore, the preferred material for the first group of fibrous material ₂a is one much thicker and longer than the second group of fibrous material 2b and having two tapered free ends as shown in Fig. 13A. This latter requirement is because the first group of fibrous material 2a is randomly blended with the second group of fibrous material 2b when the material yarn is produced. Experiment by the present inventor, showed one can also use a modification of the first group of fibrous material 2a shown in Fig. 13B for the first group of fibers in the present invention. As already mentioned, each fiber made by the first group of fibrous material 2a has the above--mentioned particular shape characterized by the tapered free ends it is the inventor's understanding that the tapered free ends each fibrous material easily escape from the cutting action of the sharp knife edge of the separating member while easily escaping the interference from fibrous material moving in the opposite direction during sliding separation.

[0059] The preferred material for the second group of fibrous material includes various types, for example, staple fiber to be blended with the first group of fibrous material when the material spun yarn is produced, or a multifilament yarn formed by a plurality of thin individual filaments. In the later case, the individual filaments are cut by a separating member having a sharp knife edge which creates sliding separation so as to break the continuity of the piles of the material pile cloth.

[0060] Besides the above shaped fibrous material, one can use fibrous material having cross sections such as triangular, square, irregular or elliptical etc.

[0061] Besides the above-mentioned conditions for the fibrous material to use for manufacturing the artificial fur according to the present invention, it is also important to select the optimal relation between the length, thickness of the first group and the second group, also the mixing ratio thereof in the material yarn forming the piles of the material pile cloth carefully. When using material pile cloth having two ground constructions connected by connecting piles projected from the respective ground constructions, it is preferable to satisfy such condition that the ratio (length of the first group fibrous material)/ (length of the second group fibrous material) is in a range between 1.0 and 5.0, and if the ratio is below 1.0, or above 5.0, it is quite difficult to produce a material pile cloth having good quality. Regarding the mixing ratio of the above-mentioned two material in the material pile yarn, the following condition is preferable, that is the mixing ratio of the first group of fibrous material to the second group of fibrous material is in a range between 15 and 70% in weight.

[0062] It was also confirmed, that, a distinctive difference between the lengths of two groups of fibrous material results in an excellent appearance of the final product. However according to the research conducted by the present inventors, it is practically desirable that the second group of fibrous material has its fiber length in a range between 1/2 and 1/3 of the length of the first group of fibrous material. And, if a conventional spun yarn is used as a material pile yarn, since a low twist thereof is preferable to smoothly carry out the breaking of the continuity of the piles formed in the material cloth, it is further preferable to use such second group of fibrous material having pertinent crimps so as to assist stable formation of yarn.

[0063] Regarding the relation between the length of pile or loop pile of the material pile cloth and the length of the first group of fibrous material, it is understood that the length of these piles is defined by the length of the first group of fibrous material in such way that the length of the former is not shorter than the latter. In practice, one chooses for the first group of fibrous material, of a length in a range between 10 and 75 mm, preferably between 15 and 40 mm, and most preferably between 15 and 30 mm.

[0064] Experiments by the present 'inventors on the thickness of the fibrous materials, showed that the preferred ratio of the average thickness of the first group of fibrous material to the second group of fibrous material is in the range between 10 and 100. For example, one would choose a thickness of the fibrous material of the second group in a range between 1 denier and several deniers, while the thickness of the first fibrous material in a range between scores and 100 deniers.

[0065] Regarding the mixing ratio in relation to the thickness of the fibrous materials, a particular experimental test was conducted. Example 1, which will be explained later, is involved in this experimental test. And the following conclusion was obtained. That is, to produce the artificial fur having desired quality, it is necessary to carefully select the fibrous material regarding the above-mentioned mixing ratio in relation to the thickness of the fibrous materials so as to satisfy the condition defined by the following equations (1) and (2).

where, D designates the thickness of the thickest portion of the first fibrous material in denier R designate the mixing ratio of the first fibrous material in the material yarn in weight % and R is calculated by the following equation

wherein, A designates the weight of the first group of fibrous material contained in a unit weight of the material yarn,

B designates the weight of the second group of fibrous material contained in a unit weight of the material yarn.

[0066] As mentioned above, it is necessary to choose the first group of fibrous material so as to satisfy the condition defined by the equation (1). If the thickness of the thickest portion of the first group of fibrous material is less than 15 deniers, the resilience of the guard hair of the artificial fur is so weak that the touch feeling of the artificial fur becomes wrong, on the other hand, if the above-mentioned thickness is thicker than 50 deniers, the touch feeling of the artificial fur becomes coarse so that the quality of the final product is wrong. To create the excellent quality of the artificial fur, it is also nec- cessary to satisfy the condition defined by the above--mentioned equation (2). The relation defined by the two equations (1) and (2) is represented by a diagram shown in Fig. 15. If R is below 50D/(50+_D), the guard hairs do not stand out distinctively in the artificial fur and its touch feeling is wrong. On the other hand, if R is above (450/D)+55, the guard hairs stand out distinctively in the artificial fur, therefore the appearance of the artificial fur is rich however, the guard hairs becomes so stiff that flutter characteristics are wrong and the mix of the guard hairs with the under fur is wrong, whereby the touch feeling of the artificial fur becomes much coarser than that of the genuine fur.

[0067] As to the above-mentioned fibrous material, known artificial fiber materials such as polyester, polyamide, acrylic, polyorefine, protein fibers, rayon and acetate; and natural fiber materials such as wool, cotton, flux, silk etc. can be selectively utilized.

[0068] As already briefly explained, various material yarn can be utilized to form piles of the material pile cloths. For example, conventional spun yarns; composite yarns having so-called an island-in-sea hypolymer fiber wherein island component becomes guard hairs of the final product, yarns composed of doubled component yarns; twisted yarns such as a conventional twisted yarn composed of a pair of component spun yarns, or composed of a conventional spun yarn spirally surrounded by a component filament yarn, or composed of a pair of multi-filament component yarns. However, the basic technical idea of this invention is the sliding separation of at least the first group of fibrous material so as to break the continuity of piles of the material pile cloth. Therefore, it is preferable that the material yarns be modified so as to be as similar as po ssible to the ideal construction shown in Fig. 1. For example, if as to a material yarn a spun yarn is used, the number of twist must be reduced as less as possible. Therefore, in this case, it is preferable to use fibrous material having comparatively longer-length than the conventional spun yarns. And, as already explained, it is preferable to use such second group of fibrous material having pertinent crimps so as to contribute to increase the strength of yarn. If the fiber length of the first and second fiber groups is longer than the half of the length t0of the connecting pile which connects two ground constructions of a material pile cloth having the double velvet weave construction, or is longer than 1/2 of the length of the looped piles of a material pile cloth, application of a separating member to break the continuity of these piles enables the creation of artificial fur of the construction shown in Fig. 12B. Research conducted by the present inventors showed that such spun yarn composed of a first group of material fibers for the guard hairs, a second group of material fibers for the under fur and a third group of fibrous material to provide sufficient yarn strength for the weaving operation can be effectively used, if the third group of fibrous material can be easily removed from this yarn. For example, if the third group of fibrous material is a fiber of polyvinylalcohol resin which is soluble in water, this third fiber component can be easily removed from the yarn by the known wet processing. Removal of such third component fibers from the yarn significantly loosens the construction of the material yarn in the material pile cloth, resulting in the necessary condition for the manufacturing method of the present invention.'

[0069] When a material spun yarn having the conventional construction is used, it is also possible to treat this yarn by an agent which -can be easily removed therefrom, so as to fix the yarn construction. For example, a water-soluble polyvinylalcohol resin is used to fix the yarn construction. And after fixing the yarn construction by this agent, the yarn is.untwisted. However in this condition, the material yarn remains strength sufficient to carry out the weaving operation to produce the material pile cloth, because the initial yarn strength is still maintained. This material cloth is subjected to a chemical treatment to remove the such fixing agent. This significantly loosens the construction of the piles made by the above-mentioned material yarn, consequently a preferable construction of the piles to breaking the continuity of the piles of the material pile cloth is created.

[0070] The following fibrous materials are effective as third group of fibrous material to be removed; polyester material which is soluble in alkaline solutions, when the fibrous material for the guard hair is polyamide material; polyamide material which is soluble in pseudo-acids, when the first group of fibrous material is polyester; acrylic fiber which is soluble in such solvent as DMF, DMSO, Rhodanic acid and Nitric acid; Styrene fiber which is soluble in trichlorine, Benzene, Xylene; Polyester produced by copolymerization with Sodium-Sulfoisophthalate which is soluble in alkaline solutions; etc.

[0071] The same research further showed that, a double yarn, consisting of a spun yarn formed only by a first group of fibrous material, twisted together with a multifilament yarn consisting of individual filaments to form the under fur of the artificial fur, can be effectively used. In this case the twist of the spun yarn is substantially eliminated when the above-mentioned two yarns are twisted. Since the individual filaments of the above-mentioned multifilament yarn become the under fur of the final product, care must be taken on choosing or designing the thickness and the length of piles of the material pile cloth when using such double twisted yarn for the material pile cloths shown in Figs. 9 and 11A. And, for example, the application of a separating member having a sharp knife edge in such a manner as to cut the filaments but slide-separate the remaining fibrous materials of the piles, the working at the position shown in those drawings, enables the creation of artificial fur having under fur formed by short pile fibers of identical length as shown in Fig. 14.

[0072] As to the typical type of material yarn to form piles in the material pile cloth, a yarn consisting of a conventional spun yarn formed by a"first group of fibrous material and a second group of fibrous material, and a multifilament yarn spirally surrounds the spun yarn is preferably utilized, as already explained. In this case, the twist of this spun yarn is eliminated when the above-mentioned two yarns are twisted. Therefore, if the above-mentioned multifilament yarn is cut or eliminated by chemical treatment, before sliding separation of the connecting piles which connect two ground constructions of the material pile cloth, or the looped piles of the material pile cloth, the most desirable condition of the yarn construction of piles of the material pile cloth is created. Therefore, this type of material yarn is the most preferable material yarn.

[0073] According to the research conducted by the present inventors, it is preferable to use the above-mentioned multifilament yarn having thickness in a range between 3₀ and 150 denier depending upon the thickness of the material spun yarn, and if the thickness thereof is large, the number of windings thereof/unit length is reduced, in other words, the number of windings thereof/unit length is increased in accordance with the decreasing thickness of the above-mentioned multifilament yarn.

[0074] The preferred material pile cloth includes various materials such as double velvet fabric, double pile knitted cloth, loop pile fabric, loop pile knitted cloth, and loop pile tufted cloth provided with a ground construction of fabric or non-woven cloth, can be utilized.

[0075] To lock the pile fibers to the ground construction, it is preferable to apply backing treatment to the material pile cloth before breaking the continuity of the piles of the material pile cloth. A detailed explanation is omitted, as the operation similar to that disclosed in the above--mentioned U.S. Patent application. Besides the above--mentioned backing operation, particular consideration is paid to the design of the construction of the material pile cloth. For example, when using a material pile cloth having a double velvet fabric, it is preferable to use the fast pile construction instead of the loose pile construction.

[0076] Research conducted by the present inventors also showed that treatment of the material pile cloth by an agent to ease the sliding of the fibrous material from the other material facilitates breaking the continuity of the piles by sliding separation without undesirable breaking of the first group of fibrous material. Such auxiliary finishing treatment by the above-mentioned agent such as a certain oiling agent can also be applied.

[0077] The preferred ground construction of the material pile _- cloth must also be considered as the properties thereof affects the qualities of the final artificial fur, such as the touch feeling or drape property. For example, if it expects to provide good drape property, it is desirable to use a thin ground construction or to increase the flexibility or stretchability of the ground construction. If imparting the above-mentioned particular properties to the ground construction, facilitates the sewing operation of garments. To achieve these properties, one can use, various material yarns, such as yarn provided with fibrous material easily removed from the yarn by additional chemical treatment; yarn composed of so-called splitable fibrous material; multifilament yarn formed by very fine individual filaments; and stretch yarn. In such case, one generally applies a pertinent auxiliary finishing treatment, such as backing treatment to impart a leather-like quality to the ground construction.

[0078] The preferred finishing of the above-mentioned pile cloth, the final process for manufacturing the artificial fur, includes the raising operation carried out to raise the pile fibers projected upward from the ground construction of the pile cloth while separating pile fibers of each unit thereof, and a brushing -operation to remove the free fibers are not firmly held by the ground construction of the pile cloth are applied. However, these finishing process are disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. Patent application, therefore the explanation thereof is omitted except for the following new matter. That is, if fibrous material having fiber length almost identical to the length of the piles of the material pile cloth is used, it is as the second group of fibrous material, preferable to break each fibrous material of this second group by applying the scratching force created by the above-mentioned raising and/or brushing operation, so as to shorten the length of the second group of fibrous material projected upward from the ground construction. In such case, it is therefore preferable to use a thin and weak second group of fibrous material.

Example 1

[0079] 14 kinds of blended spun yarn having the yarn count of 7 - 10 S (cotton counting system) were made by using four kinds of polybuthylene terphthalate staple fibers (referred as PBT hereunder) each having different fiber denier of 20d, 30d, 50d and 75d respectively but having the same fiber length, 37 mm and having tapers on both ends as guard hair and using cotton fiber as underfur in respective blending ratios mentioned in Table 1. Then, 18 kinds of cut pile fabrics were produced from velvet fabrics as were produced by using the above-mentioned blended spun yarn as pile yarn and 15S/2 spun yarn composed of polyester staple fibers 1.5d x 51 mm as both warp and weft yarns in ground constructions of double velvet fabric by separating those material pile cloths into upper and lower pile fabrics respectively by applying separating force to the material fabric as shown in Fig. 7A. In that case, the length of the connecting pile was set at 39 mm in all examples.

[0080] After backing treatment of the pile fabrics this produced with polyulethane 15% DMF solution, washing treatment, dehydrate treatment and drying treatment were applied to the 18 kinds of pile fabric thus produced.

[0081] Then, each pile was completely opened from top to the root portion thereof by brushing treatment for eliminating the twist of the pile and at the same time, cotton fibers and PBT staple fibers having tapered portion on both ends of it without being held by the ground construction were also removed.

[0082] Consequently, 18 kinds of artificial furs having such a construction as shown in Fig. 10 as a model were obtained.

[0083] The evaluation of each fur like pile fabric is described in Table 1.

Example 2

[0084] Two kinds of blended spun yarn were produced by using different kinds of PBT staple fiber, having a fiber denier of 30d and 50d, respectively, and a fiber length of 37 mm but without tapers on both ends, as guard hairs and using cotton fiber as underfur.

[0085] With 30d PBT staple, fiber, the blending ratio R was set at 30% and the yarn count was 10S. With 50d PBT staple fiber, the blending ratio R was set at 45% and the yarn count was 9S.

[0086] Using the above-mentioned blended spun yarns to create piles in the pile fabrics, two kinds of pile fabrics were produced by the weaving and finishing operation mentioned in Example 1.

[0087] The fur like pile fabrics thus obtained were superior in that their guard hairs covered the surface of the pile fabrics effectively, but the absence of tapers at the ends of the guard hairs resulted in an artificial appearance and not so-smooth touch feeling.

[0088] Moreover, the characteristics of the piles, for instance fluttering were inferior to those of the fabrics of Example 1, because the roots of the guard hairs, even those having long fiber length, were not tapered and straight.

Example 3

[0089] Two kinds of blended spun yarn were produced by using different kinds of PBT staple fiber, having a fiber denier of 10d and 85d, respectively, and a fiber length of 37 mm, and further having tapers on both ends, as guard hairs and using cotton fiber as underfur.

[0090] With 10d PBT staple fiber, the blending ratio _R was set at 45% and the yarn count was 10S, with 85d'PBT staple fiber, the blending ratio _R was set at 50% and the yarn count was 7S.

[0091] Two kinds of pile fabrics were made by using the above-mentioned blended spun yarns to create piles in the fabrics, the continuity of each pile of the material pile fabrics was separated and finishing operations of thus produced pile fabrics which is the same method as mentioned in Example 1 was applied.

[0092] This is on one hand, 10d PBT staple fiber did not performed as effectively guard hairs as those of genuine fur because they are too thin to create the same effect as genuine fur.

[0093] On the other hand,,85d PBT staple fiber, resulted in a too coarse and rough touch feeling of the pile fabric. Accordingly, the characteristics and quality of the pile fabric in this example were inferior to those of the excellent natural fur like pile fabric obtained in Example 1.

Example

[0094] A core spun yarn having a yarn count of 16S (330d) and twist number of 540 T/m(Z) was produced with a conventional ring spinning machine by a using rayon multi-filament yarn 210d-105f as underfur and a roving yarn composed of PBT staple fibers 8d x 35 mm having tapers on both ends as guard hairs.

[0095] A rayon multi-filament yarn 50d-24f was piled to the above-mentioned core spun yarn and it was twisted by 500 _T/m in S direction with a ring twister.

[0096] The material yarn thus obtained was provided with such yarn construction that a rayon multi-filament yarn 50d-24f wrapped around the core spun yarn having substantially zero twist.

[0097] A material pile cloth was produced with a double velvet weaving loom by using the material yarn thus produced for creating connecting piles a polyester, spun yarn 30/_2S for creating two ground constructions. The yarn densities of the ground construction (each) were 44 x 44 (warp x weft) ends/inch, while the pile densities in the directions of warp and weft were 22 x 20 piles/inch, and the distance between the two ground constructions was 35 mm, in the material pile cloth thus produced. Further, the position of the separating member was set at the center portion between two ground constructions and the continuity of the connecting pile was broken without cutting the guard hair staple fibers, while cutting the wrapping filament and underfur staple fibers. The separating member provided with the blade had the same configuration as shown in Fig. 8C in which the taper angle 0 was 15° and the length of the tape was 115 mm, this taper having a knife edge able to cut only rayon filament.

[0098] The gray pile fabric thus obtained was subjected to backing treatment with a 15% polyulethane DMF solution and then was washed, dehydrated and dried.

[0099] Finally, brushing operation and eliminating operation of free fibers were applied to the pile fabric.

[0100] The cut pile fabric thus obtained after drying and finishing treatment had such a pile constructions as similar to that of genuine fur and showed natural mink like handling and appearance as shown in Fig. 14.

Example 5

[0101] A blended spun yarn having a yarn count of 8S and a twist number of 452 T/m (Z) was produced by a conventional cotton spinning system using 45% of PBT staple fiber 50d x 33 mm (without Ti0₂) as the first group of fibrous material having as guard hairs and using 55% of polyethylene terphthalate (referred as PET hereunder) staple fiber 1.5d x 22 mm as the second group of fibrous material as underfur.

[0102] This spun yarn was then untwisted by 450 T/m (S) twist on fancy twister and was simultaneously piled with, a water soluble PVA filament yarn under a 0% of over-feed ratio.

[0103] A yarn thus produced was formed by wrapping around a yarn bundle having yarn count of 8S, which was substantially no twist, by the water soluble PVA filament yarn.

[0104] A double velvet fabric was woven by using the above--mentioned yarn as a material yarn to create piles and by using 40S/2 spun yarn composed of 2d x 51 mm island-in-sea typed conjugated staple fiber (island-sea-ratio; island/ sea=55/45, ultra fine fiber bundle composed of 11 filaments each having O.ld obtainable from one island-sea type conjugated staple fiber after eliminating the sea component.) to create two ground constructions. The double velvet fabric thus produced had the following construction:

[0105] 

The separating operation of upper and lower pile fabric was performed by using separating member shown in Fig. 8C which could move forward and back along the center portion of each one of the alignment of the connecting piles and during such operation the continuation of the connecting piles were broken in such a manner that only PVA filament was cut but PBT staple fibers and PET staple fibers were slide-separated each other without cutting or breaking. In this separating member, the taken angle B was 15° and the length of the taper was 115 mm, this taper having edge not able to cut fibers but able to apply pressure to piles.

[0106] Consequently, two pile fabrics were produced.

[0107] _Polyulethane solution was applied to the ground construction of the pile fabric thus produced and thereafter water soluble PVA filaments were removed.

[0108] After drying, the pile fabrics were brushed for opening and finishing.

[0109] The pile fabrics thus produced had the following pile construction; the pile fibers had a suitable distribution of fiber lengths and a distinctive two layered construction of thick _PB_T staple fibers having longer mean fiber length and of thin PET staple fibers having shorter mean fiber length.

[0110] This made the pile fabric an excellent artificial fur very similar to genuine fur.

[0111] Moreover, the elimination of the PVA filaments, made the ground construction very softy the softness being enhanced after the sea component of the ground construction was removed.

Example 6

[0112] A blended spun yarn having the yarn count of 10S and a twisting number of 12 T/m (Z) was produced by a conventional cotton spinning system using 70% of PBT staple fiber 30d x 35 mm, having tapers on both ends, as guard hairs and using 30% of cotton fiber as a supplemental component for improving the spinning effect (referred to as the third fibrous material).

[0113] After applying a softening agent to this spun yarn, the spun yarn was twisted with PET filament yarn 300d-144f as underfur with 472 T/m (S) on a twisting machine.

[0114] A double velvet fabric was produced by using the above-mentioned twisted yarn as the material yarn to create the connecting piles, and using 30/2S spun yarn composed of PET staple fibers 2d x 51 mm to create two ground constructions. The construction of the double velvet fabric thus produced was as follows.

[0115] Separation of the upper and lower pile fabrics was performed using a separating member provided with a blade which moved forward and back along the center portion of each one of the alignment of connecting piles.

[0116] The separating member was the similar configuration as shown in Fig. 8B wherein the taper angle 9 was 5° and the length of the taper was 165 mm in which the 115 mm length from the tip of it had sharp knife edge being able to cut P_ET filament and following 50 mm length had only a dull edge.

[0117] The blade broke the continuity of the connecting piles in such a manner that the PET staple fibers and a part of cotton fibers were cut and, PBT staple fibers were slide--separated each other without cutting.

[0118] Accordingly, two sheets of pile fabric could be obtained. After obtaining such pile fabric, backing treatment was performed by applying pdlyulethan emission to the ground construction and after washing and drying operation, brushing treatment was applied to the pile of the pile fabric to open the piles. The pile fabric thus obtained has such a pile construction that the length of most of all the pile fibers forming underfur were uniformly 18 mm while the fiber length of pile fibers of guard hairs were varying with a certain distribution in which it varied from the maximum length of 35 mm to the minimum of 0 mm.

[0119] Consequently, the pile fabric thus produced had natural mink like appearance and handling because this product had two layered constructions in pile composed of guard hair and underfur which could apparently be recognized and moreover this product has soft handling and excellent fluttering characteristics.

[0120] Sulphuric acid treatment of this pile fabric to eliminate cotton fibers from the piles further enhanced that the appearance of the two layered construction made the touch feeling more similar to that of genuine mink.

Example 7

[0121] A blended spun yarn having a yarn count of 10S and twist number of 473 _T/m (Z) was produced by a conventional cotton spinning system by using 50% of PBT staple fiber 50d x 31 mm having tapers on both ends as guard hairs, and by using 30% of P_ET staple fiber 4d x 20 mm as underfur and 20% of acrylic staple fiber 1.5d x 38 mm soluble in weakly alkali liquid as the third fibrous material having a definite fiber length for improving the spinning ability.

[0122] This blended spun yarn was piled with water soluble _PV_A filament yarn of 50d-18f. Then, this piled yarn was untwisted with 470 T/m (S) by a ring twister. Therefore, a material yarn in which water soluble PVA filament yarn spirally wrapped around the. substantially non-twisted yarn was obtained.

[0123] A double velvet fabric was woven by using the above--mentioned material yarn thus obtained to create the connecting piles and by using a 30/2S spun yarn composed of 2d x 51 mm island-in-sea typed conjugated staple fiber mentioned in Example 5 to create two ground constructions. The construction of the double velvet fabric thus produced was as follows;

[0124] Separation of the upper and lower pile fabrics was performed by using a separating member provided with a blade which moved forward and back along the center portion of each one of the alignment of connecting piles as shown in Figs. 7A and 7B.

[0125] The blade was the similar configuration as shown in Fig. 8B wherein the tip angle 8 was 5° and the length of taper portion was 165 mm in which the portion having 20 mm length from the tip had knife edge and next 95 mm length following this sharp portion had a little dull knife edge and the rest 50 mm length of it had only the edge being able to give pressure to the connecting piles.

[0126] The separating member broke the continuity of the connecting piles in such a manner that it cut only the water soluble PVA filaments and slide-separated at least a certain number of the PBT staple fibers and a large number of PET staple fibers without cutting.

[0127] This separated the upper and lower pile fabrics to produce two pile fabrics. The pile fabrics were then subjected to backing treatment using a polyurethane emulsion. The water soluble PVA filaments were then removed by hot water treatment, and the acrilic fibers were completely removed by a weakly alkali emulsion.

[0128] The pile fabrics were then washed and dried then were brushed to open the piles.

[0129] The pile fabrics thus obtained had the following pile construction; the length of the pile fibers in the piles were naturally distributed. The pile fiber length of underfurs varied from the maximum length of.18 mm to a minimum length of approximately zero, while that of the guard hair fibers varied from the maximum length of 28 mm to a minimum of approximately zero.

[0130] Consequently, the pile fabric obtained had a genuine mink like appearance and touch feeling. They showed the distinctive two layer pile construction of guard hairs and underfur. Further, elimination of the sea component from the ground construction made the ground construction softer.

[0131] Accordingly, this made the pile fabric an excellent artificial fur very similar to genuine fur in the touch feeling and appearance.

Example 8

[0132] A blended spun yarn having a yarn count of 8S and a twist number of 452 T/m was produced by a conventional cotton spinning system by using 40% of PBT staple fiber 30d X 35 mm and 60_% of _PET staple fiber 1.5d X 20 mm.

[0133] This spun yarn was untwisted by 450 T/m(S) on fancy twister and was simultaneously piled with a water soluble _PVA filament yarn under an over-feed ratio of 25%.

[0134] This produced a yarn with a water-soluble PVA filament wrapped around a core fiber bundle of 8S of substantially zero twist.

[0135] A double velvet fabric the same as in Example 5 was produced by using this yarn as a material yarn to create piles and the same yarn as Example 5 as two ground construction. The construction of the above-mentioned double velvet fabric was as follows:

[0136] This double velvet fabric was then treated to remove the water soluble PVA filament.

[0137] Elimination of the PVA filaments enables the easy separation of the upper pile fabric and lower pile fabric by applying a separating force to those fabrics without cutting those connecting piles. The pile fabric thus obtained had the following pile construction; each pile had suitable distribution of fiber length and a distinguished two layer construction of guard hairs and underfur. Elimination of the sea component from the ground construction yarn, as mentioned in Example 5, made the ground construction softer.

Example 9

[0138] A blended spun yarn (F₁) having a yarn count of 10S and a twisting number of 473 T/m(Z) was produced by using ₅5_% of cotton fiber as underfur and using 45% of PBT staple fiber having tapers on both ends as guard hair.

[0139] This spun yarn was then piled with a water soluble PVA filament yarn of 50d-18f and both yarns were simultaneously twisted by 470 T/m(S) on a fancy twister.

[0140] This produced a yarn (F₂) with a water soluble PVA filament yarn wrapped around a core fiber bundle of 10S of substantially zero twist composed of a first and second fibrous materials as shown in Fig. 6A. Next, two kinds of pile fabrics were produced by using polyester spun yarn 30/2S as the two ground constructions and using yarn F and F₂ as the connecting piles in a double velvet loom. This double velvet fabric is provided with the following construction;

Warp and weft density of each ground

construction (warp x weft); 44 X 36 ends/inch Pile density (directions towards

warp and weft) ; 22 X 18 ends/inch Length of the connecting pile; 32 mm

[0141] The grey pile fabric thus obtained was then subjected to backing treatment with 15% polyulethane DMF emulsion, then were washed, dehydrated and dried.

[0142] Elimination of the PVA filaments was performed in the case of using the yarn F₂ , by hot water of 80°C.

[0143] The pile fabrics were then brushed several times to open the piles and remove free fibers, after dehydrated and dried the pile fabric treated as mentioned above.

[0144] The weaving efficiency was poor with the yarn F₁. In weaving on the loom, the shed could not open smoothly due to some long fluffs of guard hair projecting from the piles. There was also large pile breakage and guard hair detachment.

[0145] In the case of using the yarn F₂ , weaving efficiency was excellent and fabric quality was also excellent because of the problems mentioned in the former case being extremely small. In brushing operation, in the case of using the yarn F₂ as pile, the pile was completely opened and free fibers were eliminated after 5 times repeat of brushing operation.

[0146] On the other hand, in the case of using the yarn F₁, the pile was not opened sufficiently even after 12 times repeat of brushing operation.

[0147] After drying and finishing, the pile fabric using yarn F₂ had a touch feeling and appearance closer to genuine mink than did the pile fabric using yarn F_l.

Example 10

[0148] A blended spun yarn having a yarn count of 10S and a twist number of 473 T/m(Z) was produced by a conventional cotton spinning system by using 45% of PBT staple fiber (no crimp) 40d X 31 mm having tapers on both ends as guard hairs and using 55% of PET staple fiber 1.5d X 38 mm as underfur. This spun yarn was then piled with a water soluble PVA filament yarn of 50d-18f and both were simultaneously twisted by 470 T/m(S). This produced a yarn with a water soluble PVA filament yarn wrapped around a core fibrous bundle of 10S of substantially zero twist.

[0149] A double velvet fabric was produced by using this yarn as the material yarn to create connecting piles and using the spun yarn 30/2S composed of island-in-sea type conjugated staple fibers shown in Example 5 as the ground construction.

[0150] The length of the connecting pile was set at 32 mm and other specification of the fabric constructions were the same as in Example 7.

[0151] Separation of upper and lower pile fabrics was performed by using a separating member shown in Fig. 8B which moved forward and back along the alignment of the connecting piles like the Example 6.

[0152] According to the movement of the separating member, continuity of each connecting pile was slide-separated in such a manner as water soluble PVA filament was surely cut and most of all PET staple fibers both ends of which were fixed concurrently in both upper and lower base fabric also were cut. Therefore, separation of upper and lower pile fabric could be done and two sheets of pile fabrics could be obtained.

[0153] It must be noted that during separation, the blade of the separating member slide-separated almost all the PBT staple fibers having tapers on both ends without cutting while cutting most of the 1.5d PET staple fibers because of their thin-thickness, even if one end was free.

Example 11

[0154] A blended spun yarn having a yarn count of 16S/2 and a twist number of 560Z/443S T/m (initial twist/final twist) was produced by a conventional cotton spinning system by using 70% of PBT staple fiber 30d X 35 mm and 30% of water soluble PVA staple fiber 1.0d X 35 mm. A double velvet fabric was produced by using the above-mentioned spun yarn as pile yarn the material yarn to create connecting piles and by using 40S/2 spun yarn composed of 2d X 51 mm island--in-sea type conjugated staple fibers as two ground constructions, wherein the conjugated staple fibers consisted of P_ET as the island component and polystylene as the sea component, (island/sea) was 55/45, ultra fine fiber bundle composed of 11 fibers each having O.ld, after eliminating sea component. The weave construction of this double velvet fabric was as follows:

[0155] The double velvet fabric then subjected to hot water treatment to remove PVA staple fibers thereby loosening the interlace by the twists of component fibers of the connecting piles.

[0156] This loosening action enabled this double velvet fabric to be easily separated into two pile fabrics by applying a separating force to the ground constructions to slide-separate the PBT staple fibers without cutting. The pile fabric thus obtained had the following construction; the length of the component pile fibers in each pile varies with a suitable distribution which is preferable to be an artificial fur, as shown in Fig. 12A.

Claims

1. In a method for manufacturing an artificial fur formed by a ground construction and a plurality of pile fibers projected from said ground construction, comprising a step of producing a material pile cloth by utilizing material yarn for creating a plurality of piles formed therein, said material yarn formed by fibrous materials including a first group of fibrous material to guard hairs of said artificial fur; an improvement comprising a step of breaking the continuity of said piles formed in said material pile cloth such that at least a partial number of said first fibrous material are not broken.

2. An improved method of manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 1, wherein said step of breaking the continuity of said piles is carried out by creating sliding separation of said fibrous material at said pile portions of said material pile cloth.

3. An improved method of manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said piles before carrying out said step of breaking the continuity thereof are looped piles.

4. An improved method of manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 3, wherein said step of breaking the continuity of said looped piles is carried out by applying force directed from inside of a looped space of each loop pile to the outside thereof.

5. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said material pile cloth is formed by two ground constructions and a plurality of connecting piles connecting said two ground construction with an intervening space, said connecting piles are made by said material yarn, said ground constructions are woven fabrics or knitted fabrics.

6. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 5, wherein said material pile cloth is a double velvet weave fabric.

7. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 5, wherein said step of breaking the continuity of said connecting piles is carried out by imparting tension along the yarn axis thereof to each of said connecting piles.

8. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 7, wherein said step of breaking the continuity of said connecting piles is carried out by separating said two ground constructions so that said tension along the yarn axis of each connecting pile is created.

9. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 5, wherein said step of breaking the continuity of said connecting piles is carried out by imparting a force to each connecting pile toward a direction perpendicular to the yarn axis thereof.

10. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 9, wherein said force is applied from the free end side of said material pile cloth.

11. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 9, wherein said force is applied to send connecting piles located at the free end side of said material pile cloth from inside of said material pile cloth.

12. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11, wherein said material yarn is consisted of a first group of fibrous material to form the guard hairs of said artificial fur, and a second group of fibrous material to form the under fur of said artificial fur.

13. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 12, wherein said material yarn is a spun yarn.

14. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 13, wherein said spun yarn is made from a blended material of said first and second groups of fibrous materials.

15. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 13, wherein said material yarn is a core-spun yarn.

16. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 12, wherein said material yarn is consisted of a plurality of component yarns and these component yarns are twisted.

17. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 12, wherein said material yarn is consisted of a plurality of component yarns doubled each other.

18. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein at least one of said component yarns of said material yarn is a spun yarn.

19. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 15, 16 or claim 17, wherein at least one of said component yarns of said material yarn is a multi- filament or filament yarn.

20. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 14, 15, or 16, wherein a main portion of said material yarn is a yarn having substantially zero twist or provided with low twists.

21. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 20, wherein said main portion of said material yarn is provided with a partial number of fibrous materials partially adhered to each other or partially fixed to each other by melting.

22. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 20, wherein an auxiliary yarn spirally surrounds said main portion of said material yarn.

23. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 22, wherein said auxiliary yarn is formed by a fibrous material having greater solubility than said fibrous materials of material yarn.

24. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claims 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17, wherein each fibrous material of said first group of fibrous material is provided with at least one tapered free and portion.

₂5. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17, wherein length of said first group of fibrous material is greater than length of said second group of fibrous material.

26. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17, wherein length of the second group of fibrous material is not shorter than the length of the first group of fibrous material.

27. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 26, wherein said second group of fibrous material is a multifilament yarn.

28. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 12, wherein said material yarn is further provided with a third group of fibrous material beside said first and second group of fibrous materials.

29. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 28, wherein said third group of fibrous material is a multifilament yarn and/or staple fibers.

30. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 28, wherein said third group of fibrous material is a soluble fiber.

31. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 28, wherein the length of said first group of fibrous material is greater than that of the second group of fibrous materials.

32. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 28, wherein said second group of fibrous material and said third group of fibrous material are also staple fibers, and length of latter fibrous material is greater than the length of former fibrous material.

33. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 28, wherein said third group of fibrous material is provided with such strength that it is easily broken by a force not sufficient to break said second group of fibrous material.

34. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 28, wherein said second group of fibrous material is provided with crimps.

35. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 26 or 27, wherein said breaking operation of the continuity of piles of said material pile cloth is carried out such that at least a partial number of said second group of fibrous material are broken but a partial number of said first group of fibrous material are subjected to said sliding separation.

36. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 14, 15, 16 or 17, wherein said material yarn is provided with said first group of fibrous material arranged therein in such that the free end of the individual fibrous material of said first group is distributed at random therein.

37. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17, wherein each fibrous material of said first group is provided with two tapered free ends and said two groups of fibrous materials satisfy the following relationship:

the fineness (D) of said first group of fibrous material is in the following range defined by equation (1).

Equation (1) 15 < D < 80 the blending ratio (R) of said two groups of fibrous materials is in the following range defined by equation (2).

Equation (2)

wherein, D designate the thickness of the thickest portion of each fibrous material of said first group, in denier, R designates the blending ratio of said fibrous material of first group, in % weight and calculated by the equation

where, A designates a weight of said first group of fibrous material contained a unit weight of said pile yarn

B designates a weight of said second group of fibrous material contained in unit weight of said pile yarn.

38. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17, wherein the length of said first group of fibrous material is in a range between 10 and 75 mm.

39. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17, wherein the length of the first group of fibrous material is in a range between 15 and 30 mm.

40. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 12, wherein the ratio between the length of said first group of fibrous material and the length of said second group of fibrous material is larger than 1 and smaller than 5.

41. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 12, wherein the blending ratio of said first group of fibrous material in said material yarn is in a range between 15% and 70%.

42. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said first and second groups of fibrous material is a splitable or separable fiber.

43. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a backing treatment is applied to the back side of said ground construction before or after said operation of breaking the continuity of said piles of said material pile cloth.

44. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a raising and/or brushing operation is further applied to a pile cloth made from a material pile cloth after or simultaneously to said operation of breaking the continuity of each pile of said material pile cloth.

45. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 43, wherein a raising and/or brushing operation is applied to pile cloth made from the material pile cloth at the time after or before a backing treatment to said ground construction.

46. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a dyeing and finishing treatment to the pile cloth made from the material pile cloth.

47. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 3, wherein the length of the piles.of said material pile cloth is not shorter than the average or maximum length of said first group of fibrous material.

48. A method for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 5, wherein the length of said connecting piles of said material pile cloth is not shorter than the average on maximum length of said first group of fibrous material.

49. An apparatus for manufacturing an artificial fur from a material pile cloth having two layers of knitted or woven ground constructions wherein these two ground constructions are connected by a plural of connecting piles, comprising a separating member movably or stationally disposed at a position to impart force to an alignment of connecting piles which are located at the free end portion of said material pile cloth so that the continuity of these connecting piles can be broken.

50. An apparatus for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 49, wherein said separating member is positioned outside of said alignment of connecting piles of said material pile cloth.

51. An apparatus for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 49, further comprising means for inserting said separating member into a space formed between said alignment of connecting piles and the next alignment of connecting piles formed after the former alignment of connecting piles of said material pile cloth, whereby said separating member provides force to said first alignment of connecting piles from inside said space to outside.

52. An apparatus for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 50 or 51, wherein said separating member is provided with a working edge which pushes said connecting piles, said working edge not creating shearing force to cut said connecting piles in the operation of breaking the continuity of said connecting piles of said material pile cloth.

53. An apparatus for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 50 or 51/ wherein said working edge consists of two portions, one portion sharp so that a shearing force is created, the other portion not sharp so no shearing force is created so that when said working edges contact said connecting piles of said alignment, said two portions are arranged in such capable condition that, when said separating member works to said connecting piles, said former portion of the working edge first applied force to said connecting piles and said latter portion of the working edge second applied force to said connecting piles.

54. An apparatus for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 50 or 51, wherein said separating member is provided with a working edge which is capable of working on said first alignment of connecting piles, said working edge is formed along a taper toward the free tip of said separating member.

55. An apparatus for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 50 or 51, wherein said working edge is sharp so that it is capable to create shearing force when said working edge contacts said alignment of connecting piles.

56. An apparatus for manufacturing an artificial fur according to claim 51, wherein said working edge is provided with two portions, a first portion formed at said free tip being sharp, while the remaining portion not being sharp, whereby, when said separating member works on said alignment of connecting piles, said sharp edge firstly applied a shearing force to said connecting piles.

Drawing